Painting accessory



April 3,1962 J. RINCHAK 3,028,041

PAINTING ACCESSORY Filed Sept. 21, 1960 Mui W I" "Mm k .IHIIW H H In F d INVEN TOR.

3,028,041 PAINTING ACQESSQRY Joseph Rinchalr, 1008 Riverlane Drive, East Gary, Ind. Filed Sept. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 57,537 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-90) This invention relates to a painting accessory and more particularly to a brush drainer which is to be used in paint cans for draining a brush in such a manner that the paint does not run down on the outside of the can but rather is returned into the can for reuse.

In the normal operation of applying paint by brush as opposed to roller or spraying, the brush is dipped into a container or vessel holding paint. Ordinarily, the brush picks up more paint than is desired so that the painter drains a portion of the paint back into the container by pressing the sides of the bristles of the brush against the mouth of the container. Thus, the paint is partially returned to the container. However, a small portion of the paint accumulates, either around the mouth of the container or around the edge of the container so that the paint has a tendency to run down the side of the container on the outside of the container. The paint which runs down the side of the can often runs onto a supporting surface for the can and naturally, the outside walls of the container are also coated with wet paint so that it is necessary to wipe off the outside. Although an attempt is made to wipe OK the paint on the outside of the can, in many instances enough paint remains on the outside Wall of the container to cling to hands or clothing which happen to touch the outside walls before the paint is dry.

A further problem which occurs is that the construction of most paint cans is such that there is a groove around the mouth of the paint can for sealingly applying a cover to the can, and paint collects in the groove so that when a cap is applied to the container and the paint can is allowed to stand a suflicient time, the paint hardens to such a degree that it is very difficult, and in some cases impossible, to remove the cap from the container. Therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive paint drainer which fits inside the can and the paint may be drained on the edge of the paint drainer and returned to the interior of the can so that all of the paint so drained is returned and none is spilled over onto the outside wall of the container or into the groove surrounding the mouth of the container.

A further object of the herein disclosed invention is to provide a brush drainer for use in combination with a paint can which brush drainer may be easily positioned into a paint can and held therein.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a brush drainer which is simple to manufacture, inexpensive to produce and lends itself to use with a paint can either by insertion by the user of the contents of the paint can, or at the time the paint can is still at the point of filling by the paint manufacturer.

Other objects and uses of the herein disclosed invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon the perusal of the appended specification in light of the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a brush drainer embodying the herein disclosed invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the brush drainer shown in FIGURE 1 showing the configuration of the upper portion of the drainer to be less than a semicircular portion;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the brush drainer shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the brush drainer shown in FIGURE 1; and

3,028,ll4l Patented Apr. 3, 1962 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a conventional paint can with the brush drainer shown in FIGURE 1 mounted therein in the manner in which the brush drainer is to be used.

Referring now to the drawing, it may be seen how a brush drainer generally indicated by numeral 10 is of a simple construction.

The brush drainer 10 is an integral device formed from a single piece of sheet metal in this embodiment. It is appreciated that other suitable materials may be used; however, sheet metal is preferred in the instant case.

The brush drainer includes a thin, flat base 12 which is a portion of a circle be ing less than a semicircle. The base has a partial arcuate outer periphery with a straight edge 13 defining the remainder of outer periphery. A fiat, resilient column 14 has one end formed integral with the base at the midpoint of the partial arcuate outer periphery, so that straight edge 13 is parallel to the width of the column. The column has the same thickness as the base since the base and the column are stamped from a single piece of material. The column is bent to a position perpendicular to the base, thus, the column extends upward from the base.

At the top of the column, a drain ledge or drain cover 16 is formed integral with the other end of the column, which drain ledge has the same configuration as the base. The drain ledge as the base also has a partial arcu-ate outer periphery and a straight edge 18 defining the remainder of the outer periphery. The drain ledge is fixed to the column in the same manner as the base, that is, at the midpoint of the arcuate outer periphery, and the ledge is perpendicular to the column and extends away from the column in the same direction as the base as may be seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. In as much as the drain ledge has the same configuration as the base, the drain ledge is a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and the drain ledge and the base are portions of circles having the same radius, so that, in operation, the base and the drain ledge are interchangeable.

The brush drainer is used in the manner shown in FIGURE 5. Referring now to FIGURE 5 which shows a conventional container or paint can 20 which generally consists of a flat, circular bottom 22 which has a radius greater than the radius of the circles of the base and the ledge. A cylindrical sidewall 24 is sealingly attached at one end to the bottom and a grooved container lip 26 is sealingly attached to the other end of the sidewall 24. It may be seen that the lip 26 has an annular opening 28 in its center which constitutes the major portion of the can top so that a brush may be easily inserted into the can. The radius of opening 28 is less than the radius of the bottom as well as the radius of the circles of the base and the ledge. A groove 29 is formed in the lip adjacent to the opening to cooperate with a top to close the can tight. Although a top is not shown for the paint can, it is readily apparent that a conventional top may be applied to the lip 26 to close the can.

The instant brush drainer is used in combination with the paint can in the following manner. It may be seen in FIGURE 5 that the ledge 16 and base 14 are portions in a circle having a radius greater than the radius of the circle defining aperture 28 but less than the inside radius of the container. Inasmuch as the base and the cover 16 are less than a semicircle, the drainer may be placed into the paint can through the opening 28 by simply dropping the drainer into the can. The length of column 14 is slightly greater than the inside height of the paint can so that the column 14 is slightly bowed in order to place the ledge under the container lip. The resilience of the column holds the base in engagement with the bottom up against the bottom of the lip. Thus, the

brush drainer is securely held in the can without the use of clamps, hooks or any other additional devices.

When the brush drainer is mounted in the can, it IS readily apparent that as paint is dipped from the can by a brush, the brush may be wiped or drained on edge 18 of the ledge. It is apparent that, in as much as the edge 18 is below the mouth of the can, the paint which collects on. the ledge flows back into the can rather than accumulating in the groove in the lip of the can. In this manner, the paint does not have a chance to flow down the outside of the. can, and the mouth of the can is always clean and free from paint so that the top of the can does not become securely sealed to the can.

It may be seen that the instant brush drainer may be placed in the can before the can is filled and then the can isfilled so that the brush drainer may be in the can when the ultimate user opens the can. On the other hand, the brush drainer also may be placed in the paint can by the user when the can is opened for use.

It may be appreciated that in as much as the base and the ledge are identical in construction, the drainer may be inverted and it will still operate in its usual manner so that it is not necessary to remove and invert the drainer regardless of which end is first placed into a can of paint.

The construction of the brush drainer disclosed herein is very inexpensive to produce since it may be stamped from a piece of sheet metal and bent into its required shape. in one operation. However, it is to be expressedly understood that other materials may be used and other specific construction may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the instant invention. It is to be further understood that those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications in the specific construction of the instant invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A painting accessory comprising, in combination, a substantially flat circular bottom, a cylindrical wall having one end sealingly fixed to said bottom, a grooved annular container lip defining an annular opening sealingly fixed to the other end of said cylindrical wall to provide a means for mounting a closure top for said annular opening, a substantially fiat arcuate base having a straight edge positioned in engagement with the bottom Within the cylindrical wall, said base being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and said circle having a radius greater than the radius of the annular opening and less than the radius of the bottom, a substantially fiat arcuate drain ledge having the same thickness as the base in engagement with the container lip within the cylindrical wall, said drain ledge being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle having substantially the same radius as the base and having a straight edge for engagement with a brush to wipe said brush, and a resilient flat column having a thickness substantially the same as the drain ledge and a length slightly greater than the distance between the bottom and the container lip, said column having one end formed integral with the outer periphery of the drain ledge and the other end formed integral with the outer periphery of the base to hold the base and the drain ledge in resilient engagement with the bot tom and the lip, respectively.

2. A painting accessory comprising, in combination, a bottom, a cylindrical wall having one end sealingly mounted on said bottom, an annular container lip sealingly mounted on the other end of the cylindrical wall, a base mounted in engagement with the bottom, a resilient column integral with said base and having a length greater than the interior length of the cylindrical wall and a drain ledge integral with the column and being positioned against the interior surface of the container lip, said drain ledge being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle, said circle having a radius less than the internal radius of the cylindrical wall but greater than the radius of the opening of the annular container lip, whereby the drain ledge is held in position against the container lip by the resilience of the column and the drain ledge provides an edge for engagement with a brush to wipe material oh the brush.

3. A brush drainer for use with a container comprising, a base, a resilient upright column fixed to said base substantially perpendicular to the base, and a drain ledge fixed to the resilient upright column substantially perpendicular to said column, said drain ledge being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and being positionable within a container adjacent to the mouth of the container and held therein by the resilience of the column, said drain ledge having a substantially straight edge for engagement with a brush to drain said brush.

4. An article of manufacture of the type described comprising, a substantially flat drain ledge having an arcuate portion being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and being positionable within a container against the interior surface of an annular lip of the container, said drain ledge having a straight edge for engagement with a brush to wipe said brush, a resilient flat column having one end formed integral with the drain ledge on the outer periphery of said ledge proximate to the midpoint of the arcuate portion of said ledge, said column being flat and having the same thickness as the drain ledge, and a substantially flat base formed integral with the other end of said column, said base having an arcuate portion being a portion of a circle having substantially the same radius as the circle of the drain ledge, said base being less than a semicircle, having the column formed integral with its outer periphery proximate to the midpoint of the arcuate portion of said base and having a straight edge.

5. An article of manufacture of the type described comprising, a substantially fiat drain ledge being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and being positionable within a container against the interior surface of an annular lip of the container, a resilient column having one end formed integral with the drain ledge and being substantially perpendicular to the drain ledge, and a base formed integral with the other end of said column substantially perpendicular to the column and extending away from the column in the same direction as the drain ledge, said base being a portion or" a circle having substantially the same radius as the circle of the drain ledge, said portion being less than a semicircle.

6. A painting accessory comprising, in combination, a bottom, a cylindrical wall having one end sealingly mounted on said bottom, an annular container lip sealingly mounted on the other end of the cylindrical wall, a base mounted in engagement with the bottom, a resilient column fixed to said base and having a len th greater than the interior length of the cylindrical wall, and a drain ledge fixed to said column and being positionable against the interior surface of the container lip, said drain ledge having an edge for engagement with a brush to wipe material off the brush, whereby said resilient column holds the drain ledge and base in resilient engagement with the container lip and the bottom respectively.

7". A painting accessory comprising, in combination, a substantially flat circular bottom, a cylindrical wall havingone end sealingly fixed to said bottom, a grooved annular container lip defining an annular opening sealingly fixed to the other end of said cylindrical wall to provide means for mounting a closure for the annular opening in the lip, a substantially flat arcuate base having a straight edge positioned in engagement with the bottom within the cylindrical wall, said base being a portion of a circle less than a semicircle and said circle having a radius greater than the radius of the annular opening and less than the radius of the bottom, said base being thin, a resilient flat column having one end formed integral with the base on the outer periphery of said base proximate to the midpoint of the arcuate portion of said base substantially perpendicular to the base, said column being flat and having the same thickness as the base, and a substantially flat drain ledge formed integral with the other end of said column and having the same thickness as the column, said drain ledge being substantially perpendicular to the column and having an arcuate portion being a portion of a circle having substantially the same radius as the circle of the base, said ledge being in en- 5 and the base against the bottom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Geisz Mar. 25, 1958 Weissman Mar. 1, 1960 

